The use of semiconductor integrated circuits, especially in electronic devices, have greatly proliferated since their invention in early 1960's. Traditionally, semiconductor integrated circuits are provided and used in packaged forms with a semiconductor chip bonded to a lead-frame header or other package or substrate by find gold or aluminum wires that loop from contact pads disposed around the periphery of the circuitry surface of the semiconductor chips.
In order to alleviate the adverse parasitic effects as well as fulfilling the industry-wide demand for high lead counts and small foot prints, the “flip-chip” method or technology for bonding a semiconductor integrated circuit chip to a substrate was introduced. The flip-chip bonding technology has been described in many publications such as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,040 issued to L. F. Miller in 1969 and many other subsequently published U.S. patent specifications. The conventional way to bond a semiconductor integrated circuit chip onto a substrate is by firstly flipping the semiconductor chip over so that the contact pads disposed on the top peripheral surface of the semiconductor chip is directly opposite the surface of a substrate member on which there are formed a corresponding set of contact pads for making interconnections between the semiconductor chip and the substrate member. The corresponding contact pads on the integrated circuit chip and the substrate member are then aligned and subsequently connected together to complete the electrical connection. Typically, the external electrodes or contact pads on an integrated circuit chip are provided with solder balls or bumps to ensure reliable connection and the components are connected by appropriate connection methods or means such as, for example, reflow soldering.
However, with the ever increasing demand for additional and improved performance from electric devices, more and more integrated circuits are required on an electronic device and the cost-effectiveness or benefits of the conventional flip-chip bonding technology begin to decline.
For example, in the early versions of mobile telephones or hand-held games, a single integrated circuit display driver chip may be sufficient to drive the entire display screen. However, to fulfill the ever increasing demand for additional features to be available for display and the ever increasing demand for higher resolution of such display features, a plurality of integrated circuit display drivers may be required for a single display means which is typically, but not limited to, an LCD display screen.
Likewise, with the ever increasing demand for further miniaturization of hand-held electronic devices such as, for example, mobile phones or hand-held computers, coupled with the ever increasing operating speed or frequencies of such devices, it is a clear trend that more and more integrated circuit chips connected by non-wire bonding means will be required by such electronic devices. On the other hand, it is noted that the yielding rate or productivity of electronic devices, modules or sub-assemblies declines significantly with the increasing number of “flip-chip” bonded integrated circuit chips. Hence, it will be highly desirable if there can be provided electronic devices, modules or sub-assemblies containing a plurality of integrated circuitry chips connected by the non-wire bonding means while alleviating the adverse consequences associated with the conventional flip-chip bonding technologies or methods. Similarly, it will be highly desirable if there can be made available electronic devices, modules including a plurality of integrated circuit chips connected by non-bonding wire means while alleviating the known adverse consequences of conventional flip-chip technology and method.